Coupling for animals.



No. 627,709. "Patented mm; 27, I899. c. SCHMAHL;

COUPLING FOR ANIMALS.

(Agplication filed May 14, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

CARL SOHMAHL, OF AHRENSBGK, GERMANY. 2

COUPLING FOR'ANIMALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,709, dated June 27,1899.

Application filed May 14, 1898. Serial No. 680,744. (No model.)

T0 to whom it may concern! Be it known that I, CARL SOHMAHL, a subjectof the Prince of Lubeck, residing at Ahrensbok, in the Principality ofLubeck, in the Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in'Couplings for Animals, (for which I have applied forpatents in England,dated April 1, 1898, No. 7,801; in France, datedMarch 31, 1898, No. 264,320; in Belgium, dated March 31, 1898, No.105,146; in Russia, dated March 28, 1898, No. 4,332; in Sweden, datedMarch28, 1898, No. 517; in Austria, dated March 26, 1898, and inHungary, dated March 29, 1898, No. 4,426,) of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a coupling for animals, which permits them tofree themselves should they on lying down or through excitement throw afoot over their halter. By this arrangement the overseer is muchrelieved and the animals are saved much unnecessary excitement and wasteof strength.

In order that my said invention may be more readily understood andeasily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideview of a horse chained with the coupling; Fig. 2, a side view of thecontrivance in a closed state. Fig. 3 is a side view of the contrivancein an open state.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the special coupling contrivance ais placed midway between the halter-chain and the feeding-trough. Thecontrivance a consists, essentially, of two parts 0 d, held together byjoints, at theend of which parts the hooks.

e f are fixed. The hook e, which is provided with a movable nose 9, canbe opened by means of the movable ring 72. on the rod 0 and fastened tothe manger.

The hook F is To the rod Z is pivotally linked a rod 01, which in turnis fastened to a rod 0, also capable of being pivoted. The rod 0 isprovided with an arm 10, by which it is led to the rod 0 and againstwhich a spiral spring (1 bears. (See Fig. 4.)

The manner of working the contrivance is as follows: The rod 0 and dforms one bar in the resting or normal position, Fig. 2. Thecoupling-hook f is held closed by the ring and the rod is held inposition by the spring q, the afiimal being thus securely attached tothe manger; but should the animal step over the halter a and b the rod 001 will give way in the middle by means of its joint r, Fig.- 3, underthe strain and weightof the animal.

The rods Z, n, and 0 will .draw back the securing-ring k of the couplingand the nose 2' of the coupling-hook f will be freed, so that thehalter-chain becomes quite loose and the animal is saved from uselessstruggling to free his leg from its unnatural position. Should theanimal even get so low that the rope is completely stretched and anopening of the chain-hook is no longer possible, it is only necessary todraw back the ring it in order to elfect an easy uncoupling.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

In a coupling device for animals, the combinationof a rod formed in twoparts hinged together, and provided with a hook at one end, said hookhaving a pivoted nose, a lock-' In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set

